Traveling-bag.



No. 782,047. PATENTED FEB. 7, 1905. R. A. PEARSON.

TRAVELING BAG. APPLICATION FILED 0012s. 1901. nmmwnn AUG. 1, 1904.

NC. 782,0Q7.

Patented February '7, 1905.

UMTED STATEs PATENT @FFICE.

RAYMOND A. PEARSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TRAVELING-BAG,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,047, dated February '7, 1905,

Application filed October 25, 1901. Renewed August 1,1904. Serial No. 218,967.

Be it known thatl, ItniuoNDrLPnARsoN,a l position by suitable catches a a.

citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Traveling-Bags, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to that class of traveling-lugs which are commonly known as dress-suit cases; and the object of my invention is to so construct such case that it will be strong and durable and that the contents thereof may be accessible from either side.

In the dress-suit case as at present constructed the contents must be both placed in the body portion and taken therefrom through the same opening. ilhisnecessitates the entire unpacking of the case in order to reach articles placed in the bottom thereof, which is often troublesome and inconvenient. Furthermore, cases of the present construction wherein the cover overlaps the body portion on one side only soon become distorted and one-sided, so that the same will not stand upright when placed on the floor. To overcome these difficulties, I provide the case with a lid or cover on each side, and to strengthen the case, whereby the same will retain its shape and also prevent collapsing, I provide a metal framework, all of which will be more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my preferred form of traveling-bag, showing the lids or covers partly opened. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, with lids closed. Fig. is a perspective view of my preferred form of metal frame used to strengthen the bag.

The traveling-bag in my preferred form consists of a body portion A of the usual con figuration of the dress-suit case, both sides being left open, whereby access may be had to such body portion from either side, and therefore articles first packed in said case may be removed without disturbing or removing other articles. Two lids or covers B B are hinged or secured, one at each side of the body portion, and are retained in closed These catches for the two covers are independentof each other, whereby one covering may be released without releasing the other. The lock C is common to both covers, whereby a single key may be used to lock the bag. However, two separate locks may be used, if desired. The usual handle I) is secured to the top of the case.

By the above construction itis readily seen I have provided a case that is symmetrical in shape, and that the two covers form a square substantial base which will hold the bag uprightly when resting on the floor or other support, and all tendency of the bag to become distorted or one-sided is avoided.

In order to strengthen the bag, I provide a metal framework E, which consists of the rectangular metal frames 1: 1', one being placed at the rim of each side of the body portion and around which the leather or other substance forming the body portion is folded and secured. I also further strengthen the bag by using cross-pieces F F, which are rigidly secured to each of the frames w. These pieces may be so located at the bottom as to form a support for the hinges and at the top to support the catches I! a or the handle I). By the use of this metal frame the body portion, which otherwise might be weakened by the opening in two sides, is strengthened. Furthermore, the usual heavy pasteboard lining or other stiffening material may be omitted. Many other ad vantages will readilybe seen from the above construction.

\Vhile I have described my strengtheningframe as being of metal, any other suitable material, such as wood, may be used. It is also understood that my invention is equally applicable to hand-bags of other construction than the dress-suit case.

hat I claim is 1. A traveling-bag comprising, a body portion open at two opposite sides and having an unobstructed packing-space, a lid or cover hinged to said body portion at one side of one of said openings, and a suitable catch at the other side of said opening for securing said lid, and a second lid or cover hinged to the opposite side of said body portion at one side of the opening and a suitable independent catch for securing said last-named lid, and a common lock for both of said lids, substantially as described.

2. A traveling-bag comprising a body portion open at tWo opposite sides and having an unobstructed packing-space, a strengtheningframe Within each rim of the body portion, a lid or cover for each opening adapted to close the same, substantially as described.

3. A traveling-bag comprising, a body portion open at tWo opposite sides, a strengthen ing-frame around each rim of the body portion, cross-pieces rigidly secured to and connecting said frames, and a lid or cover for RAYMOND A. PEARSON.

WVitnesses:

(Jr. HAROLD POWELL, MoPHERsoN REYNOLDS. 

